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7 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. VA VASSEUR. I MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

(No-Model.)

(No Model.)- 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'J. VAVASSEUR. MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

No. 450,829. 4 Patented Apr. 21, 189i.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets$heet 3. J. VAVASSEUR. MOUNTING FOR GUNS No.450,829. Patented Apr. 21,1 91.-

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(No Model.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. VAVASSEUR. MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

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J. VAVASSEUR. MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

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J. VAVASSEUR. 1 MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

1 I z I (No Model.) Sheets-Shpet 7. J VAVASSEUR. MOUNTING FOR GUNS.

Patented Apr. 21,1891.

m m M W 0 UNIT STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH VAVASSEUR, OF LONDON, ASSIGNOR TQ W. G. ARMSTRONG,

MITCHELL d: 00., LIMITED, OF NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND.

MOUNTlNG FOR cums.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,829, dated April21, 1891.

Applicatiog filed August 18, 1890. Serial No. 361,912- (No model.)

To allwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR, en-

gineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the LondonOrdnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark, London, in the county of Surrey,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MountingGuns on Board Ship and in Gun-Mountings Gener-.

ally, of which the following is a specification.

The gun is made capable of recoiling in a frame or cradle made similarlyto what has heretofore been proposed. The forward end of the cradle Imake to lie within a slot formed vertically across the top of acylindricalblock, and provide it with horizontal trunnions which withtheir bearings are slid into recesses in the block and secured bylock-screws with interrupted threads, wedges, or othermeans, or I securethe cradle by pivots or trunnions insertedthrough the block. b Thebottom of the blockrests on the top of apedestal fixed to a deck, andthe block has aver- .tical pivot descending from it into bearings.

. in. the pedestal. Around its outer edge it also carries clips to clipa flange which projects outwards from the top of the pedestal andprevents lifting.

Instead of employing the cylindrical block,-

I in some cases support the gun in ordinary bearlngs formed in bracketsmade on the vertical pivot and surround these brackets with a circulararmor-plate; orthe block might be "made of spherical form with thevertical pivot pro ectiug downward from the lower part of the sphere.When a mount-ingot this kind 1s to be used as a between-deck orbroadside mounting on board a ship, an opening'is formed through theships side just large enough to permit of the pedestal and cylindricalblock being placed in the opening so that the line of the vessels sidewould pass centrally through them, or approximately so. The portion ofthe pedestal which is outside the side of the vessel is supported by aprojecting sponson. The sponson has an armorplated wall rising up aroundits outer edge nearly to the level of the under side of the gun'when atits maximum depression. At the ends of the sponson the walls (where theand of the pedestal on which it rests.

the gun when trained to one or other side will not come in contact withthem) may rise higher and be "bent inward and made to meet thecircumference of the cylindrical pivoting-block of the mounting.

I employ two cylinders to absorb recoil placed one on either side .belowthe gun,

with the cylindrical spring-case above the gun. This allows of the axesof the recoil and spring cylinders being placed at a minimum distancefrom the axis of the gun; or the recoil-cylinders and spring may beabove the enter, and being above the gun and at a considerable heightabove the deck the men working the gun are very efficiently protected.

WVhen the mounting is placed on the upper deck of a ship, it isprotected by a suitable outer shield attached toand turning with themounting. This shield has a lower opening in it, through which the gunworks, and two sighting-ports above, through which the sightbarsprotrude.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig.2a rear elevation, Fig. 3 a plan, andFig. 4 a. partsectional plan, of a gun-mounting constructed as abovedescribed and placed in a broadside or between-deck position. Fig. 5 isa verti calsection of the cylindrical swiveling-block Fig. 6 is a sideelevation of the cylindrical. swiveling-block and the parts carried byit. 7 is a rear end view, and Fig.8 a plan, of the block and the partscarried by it. Fig. 9 is avertical section of the. cradle, with'the guncontained within it shown in elevation. Fig. 10'

Fig.

shows a side elevation, partly in section, of the mounting as modifiedfor being placed on the upper deck of a ship. Fig. 11 is a plan of thesame. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section of part of the same, showing howthe trunnion-bearings may be retained by readily-removable blocks orwedges. Fig. 13 is a vertical section showing how the trunnions may befixed in the cylindrical block and enter rero cessesin thecradle. Fig.14 is a vertical section ofa friction-clip employed in the apparatus.

In Figs. 1 and S, A is a cylindrical block, either in one, solid pieceor formed of a circu- I 5 lar base, with a cylindrical armor-platerising up from it around its circumference, and also with uprightsrising up from it to carry the bearings for the trunnions of the cradle.

B is the gun, capable of sliding endwise :o'within a tubular cradle O inthe ordinary way, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3'. The forward end of thecradle lies within a slot cut across the top-of the block, as shown inFig. 4. The slot through the block is best as seen in Figs. 5, 7, and 8.The cradle-trunnions C are received in bearing-blocks O, which liewithin the block, (these bearing.- blocks are shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, 6,and 7,) but can be drawn out backward from it. The bearing-block carrieswithin a recess formed in one side of it a screw C, (see Figs. 1 and 4,)the threads of which are cut away on one side. The screw can be turnedby a key applied to its end C. (See Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7.) When the sidefrom which the screw-thread.

is cut away is outward, there is no projection from the bearing-block;but it a half-turn is given to the screw its threads then projectoutward and interlock into corresponding 4c grooves or recesses in thecylindrical block to which the bearing-block is thus locked. Thebearing-blocks may also be locked each by two screws formed asdescribed, one at the top and one at the bottom. \Vhen the bear- .45ing-blocks are unlocked from the cylindrical block, the gun and cradle,together with its trunnion-bearings, can be drawn backward and removedfrom the mounting. The cylindrical block restsaround its circumferenceupon the top of apedestal D, (see Fig. 5,) of

about the same diameter. It has also a central vertical pivot Adescending from it, which enters a corresponding circular recess in thepedestal and rests on dished springs A, contained in this recess.Between the springs and the bottom of the recess is a;.plate E, restingon a ring of anti-friction balls or rollers A". The springs take thegreater part or the whole of the weight'of the gun,cradle, 6c andmounting, so that there maybe but little friction between thecylindrical block and pedestal near the outer circumference. To preventthe springs lifting the cylindrical block so high as to bring the clipsT into hard bearing what the flange of pedestal,

the plate has a central stem rising up from it being moved backward orforward, sothat through the vertical pivot of the cylindrical block, andhas a suitabl y-ad j usted n utscrewed onto its upper end.

F (see Figs. 1 and 3) is part of a ships side having an opening formedthrough it just large enough for the pedestal and the cylindrical blockto be placed in, so that approximately one-half of the block andpedestal maybeout side the ships side. In this way the opening throughthe ships side is practically closed, while at the same time the gun canbe trained to considerable angles "I either direction.

G (see Figs. 1 and 3) is a sponson on the outer side of the ships sideto support the portion of, the pedestal which is outside the shi is anarmor-plated wall risingup around the edgeof the sponson nearly to thelevel ot the bottom of the gun. Above this level the plates forming thewall are bent inward, as shown at Fig. 3, so as to meet thecircumference or the cylindrical block. In this way the opening in theships side is completely 9o filled in.

I I (see Figs. 1, 2, and 9) are the two bydraulic recoil-cylinders onthe under side of the tubular cradle at its rear end.

J is a cylindrical casing containing springs for running the gun outafter recoil. It is carried on the top of the rear end of the cradle.

B are arms on the rear end of the gun. to

which the piston-rods of the recoil-cylinders are attached, and Banother arm, to which is secured arod', which at its front end, has adisk upon it, which bears against the springs contained within thecasing J.

K K (see Fig. 1) are sight-bars carried by tubular bearings K, which arejointed at K to arms K, which project from the top of the cradle.

K (see Fig. 1) are sight-openings formed through the ships side, throughwhich the sight-bars are made to project, so that when in use the backsight may be within or in close proximity to the opening when the gun isat right angles to the ships side or wall. The sight-bars K can beslid'backward through the bearings K whenout of use. The arms -K canalso he slid back, so as to withdraw the bearing K and joint K from thesight-opening and allow of the opening being closed. It also admits ofthe sight-bar its no into whateverdirection the gun maybe trained theback' sight maybe brought within or close to the sighting-port. The backsight may either be upon the bar or upon the bearing K.

The sight-bar can be inclined to any desired extent to the cradle byturning a'pinion 8' (see Figs. 1 and 2,) carried by an arm S, whichextends rearward from the bearing K. The pinion gears into a curvedtoothed rack carried by the arm K". The pinion 5' works against alightfriction sullicient to keep the arm in any desired position. 1

In order to prevent the sight-bars'K being inadvertentlyturned down tosuch a position as would cause them to be injured by fouling thesighting port or upper-port sill of gun, a projection S is made on, thearm S, the upward movement of which beyond a safe limit is prevented bythe overhead stop V and the yielding of the arm S to pressure.Arrangements can also be made to prevent similar risk from the barsbeing raised too high.

The training of the gun is effected from either side of the mounting bya worm L gearing into the teeth of a rack D, formed partly around thecircumference of the pedestal D. The axis of the worm L is carried'by'downward projections from the cylindrical on an axis N, whichalso'is carried in bearings by an arm projecting from the cylindricalblock. The axis N has a hand-wheel N 2 on its upperend by which it canbe turned. 4 The elevating of 'the gun is effected by a curved toothedrack O on the cradle, into which gears a pinion P on an axis P. On thisaxis is also a worm-wheel P held to it by a friction-clip, a verticalsection of which is shown in Fig. 14. 1

Q is a worm gearing into the worm-wheel. The axis of the worm can bedriven through bevel-gear from the axis of a hand-wheel R. The bearingsfor these axes are carried by the arm which. projects rearward from thecylindrical block A.-

In the modification of the mounting shown at Figs. 10, 11, and 12 andadapted for use on the upper deck of a ship the circular swiveling-blockA carries 'a shield \V, with sighting-ports W for the sight-bars K to beprotruded through. These figures also show how the bearings C for thetrunnions (3' of the cradle C may be retained within the cylindricalblock A by blocks or wedges X, which can be drawn out sidewise from theblock. These figures also show that the hydraulic recoil-cylinder andcylinder containing the running-out springs may both be above the gunand in aline with one another.

In the modified way shown atFig. 13 of supporting the cradle 0 withinthe cylindrical blockA the trunnions 0' might be passed through holes inthe sides of the blockAand made to enter recessesin the sides of theeradle. Y are screws for retaining the trunnions in their place. Z is ascrew screwing through the center of the trunnion. \Vhen the screws Yare removed, the trunnion can be withdrawn by screwing in the screw Zand making its end bear against the side of the gun. This figure alsoshows that the hydraulicrecoil-cylinders may be on either side of thecylinder containing the running-out springs and all the cylinders becarriedabove the gun.

I do not in this application claim, broadly, a sight-bar carried on thetop of a cradle; nor

1. The combination of the opening through the ships side, thevertically-swiveling cir-.

cular block and pedestal on which it rests fittin ginto the opening, thesponson, with armorwall around its edge, surrounding the portion of thepedestal that projects through the opening, the slot formed through andacross the cylindrical block, the cradle lying in the slot supported ontrunnions carried bythe block, and the sight bar orjbars carried by thecradle and protruding through a sighting port or ports formedthrough theships side.

2. The combination of the circular vertically-swiveling block fittingwithin an open ing formed through an armor-wall or ships side and havinga slot formed through and across it, in which lies a gun-cradle thetrunnions of which are in a planepassing through the blocks axis, orapproximately so, so that the block fills the opening in the wall orships side and the end of the cradle fills the-opening through theblock, or nearly so, and a sight bar or bars carried by the cradle andprotruding through a smallsight port or ports, so that the back sightmay be Within or close to the sighting-port when the gun is at rightangles to the wall or ships side.

3. The combination of the circular vertically-swiveling block fittingwithin an opening formed through an armor-wall'or ships side and havinga slot formed through and across it, in which lies a gun-cradle thetrunnions of which are supported by the block in a plane passing throughthe blocks axis, or

of the cradle fills the opening through theblock, or nearly so.

4. A gun-mounting consisting of the circular vertically-swiveling blockhaving a slot formed through and across it, the gun-cradle lying in theslot, the cradle-trunnions supported by the block in a vertical planepassing through the blocks axis, or approximately so, and the sight baror bars carried by the cradle above the gun, with the back sight also ina vertical plane passing through the blocks axis, or approximately so.

5. A gun-mounting consisting of the circu lar vertically-swiveling blockhaving a slot formed through and across it, the cradle lying in theslot, the trunnions projecting sidewise from .the cradle, the bearingsfor the trunnions slid from the rear into recesses in the block, andlocking-bolts for locking the bearings into the recesses in the block.

6. A gun-mounting consisting of the circu= lar vertically-swivelingblock having a slot formed through and across it, and the cradle lyingin the slot and turning upon horizontal trnnnions which are in avertical plane passing ees's es in'the block, and belts with interruptedthrough the blocks' axis, or npp rqximately 'so. screw-threads upon themfor lockingthe bear- [0 7. A gun-mounting consisting of the circn ingsinto the recesses in the block.

lar vertically-swiveling block provided with JOSIAH VAVASSEUR.

5 a. slot extending through and across it, the Witnesses: e

cradle lying in the slot, the trunnions pro- GEO. W. S.'FRANKLI N;

' jecting sidewise from the cradle, the bearings j W; J. NORWQOD,

for the trunnions slid from the rear into re- Both of 17' GmcechurchStreet, L 0ndon, E00.

